Christmas Day

We had a pretty low key, relaxing day today. Grant woke up at 5:30 and asked if Santa came. He was pleasantly surprised to find that Santa did indeed come. Grant got everything on his list. Max (the stuffed dog) even got his green dog. Grant was also glad to see that Santa enjoyed the cookies and milk that we set out for him. And so the main attractions at this mornings extravaganza:

*Fire engine
*Purple Rody horse
*Green dog(s) for Max
*Light and sound Zoo
*Animal train
*Diego playdough
*Dolls (water baby and Madame A)
*Noah's ark
And lots of other little odds and ends. I also made Grace something to hang her bows on because the drawers I bought for them drive me CRAZY! The flowers always get smashed and it is hard to find exactly what I am looking for. And so, in the middle of the night it came to me...use some cardboard and some old ribbon and viola. Okay, I know, it needs some help but it is a good idea, right?!?! We hope everyone enjoyed their day! We are so thankful for all that we have, especially our Savior. We have definitely been blessed this year and we are so grateful for the gospel in our lives. Merry Christmas!

Grant has been super excited for Christmas for a long time. It has finally arrived and Adam and I can't wait to see his face in the morning. Tonight, we acted out the Nativity with Grant and his stuffed animals. It was actually pretty fun. Grant chose to be a cow and Mary was a green teddy bear, Joseph was Winnie the Pooh and Boston (his boy cabbage patch) was Jesus. Of course, we had a bunch of shepherds and some wisemen (Tigger, Mickey, and a black and white dog-Hoser). Anyway, it was fun and Grant seemed to get the idea.After dinner, we opened up 1 present each...our jammies. Grant loved his polar bear jammies!
And he then decided that he would wear our stockings as he pretended to be Santa.
Little Gracie looked adorable in her reindeer jammies. Although she wasn't super excited about getting her picture taken. "C'mon mom! Bring on the other presents!"
Grant was so wired that we couldn't really get him to sit still long enough to get a good picture. Having him around makes Christmas so magical. We LOVE it!
And so to you all...we wish you a Merry Christmas!

Grantisms

* Looking in Adam's nose with a flashlight: "What's in daddy's nose? (PAUSE) Eat it!"

* Grant was trying to slide off our bed and was having a bit of trouble. He said, "My belly is in the way."

* He had a mirror in the bathtub with him and he put it under the water and exclaimed, "Oh! I look far away!"

* A conversation between Nae Nae and Grant
N: What's your daddy's name?
G: Adam Barrow
N: What's your name?
G: Grant Adam Barrow
N: What's mommy's name?
G: Mommy Adam Barrow
N: What's Gracie's name?
G: Grace Adam Barrow
N: What was daddy's name?
G: Adam Barrow Daddy

* We were in the car and Bug asked me to sing Dora the Explorer. I couldn't remember how it went so I told him we would have to watch it on TV some time. I then said, "Hey! Why don't you sing it?!?!" Grant answered, "I'm not a TV! I don't have movies on me!"

Body Art and Santa

As you know, Grant enjoys coloring/drawing on anything that doesn't begin with the letter P and end with APER. This time, he did not color on sheets or on his bedroom furniture. This time, Picasso created a masterpiece on his own body. I guess the window markers were just too enticing and he couldn't resist decorating his face.
Adam was watching Grant and claims that he just walked out of the kitchen for a few seconds and when he came back in this is what he found.
I was in the bedroom getting Grace ready. Then Grant took his artwork on the road and came back to visit me so I could see his masterpiece. And what a masterpiece it was. I couldn't believe my eyes! Then I saw his daddy with a big smile behind him. We couldn't stop laughing. Should we have been mad? Nope, I don't think so. Choose your battles (that's what my mom used to say) and really what does it hurt? Window markers wash off and even if they didn't it would fade at some point. Thanks lighting us up inside, Grant. (But as a disclaimer son, if you EVER get real body art done...tattoos...whatever...don't show me cuz I will lose it and you will not be able to run fast enough to get away from me. Luckily, I don't think I will have to worry about that but you never know).
On another note, Grant is super excited for Christmas and Santa. In fact, he has "written" Santa a few letters. Even before Thanksgiving! He asks for paper and then goes to work while telling me, "I'm doing letters, Mommy! A-N-T!" He even wrote a letter from his stuffed dog, Max (our 3rd child). Grant would like a "fiyah engwin and a purple rody horse" and Max wants a green dog. Luckily, Santa found a green dog...it was hard work he said but he pulled through for Bug. Grant did great with Santa this year and our little Butterfly slept through it.

The Past Few Days

The past few days have been a bit crazy. Monday morning I was checking the boxes for the apartments and while I was running home, my foot slid off the curb, I heard a loud snap, fell to the ground and started to cry. Luckily, some tenants saw me and went and got Adam. He got me inside and then I passed out on the couch...I know, what a baby, right?!?! Anyway, the ER couldn't see an obvious fracture but told me to see another doctor and told me to use crutches for a while (not a problem since I cannot put weight on it anyway). LUCKILY, my mom came into town the night before all this happened. I do not know what we would be doing right now if we didn't have her. Moms are the BEST! Grant has figured out that I cannot chase him around so he tries to get away with a lot more than usual and overall, I am hating crutches. I could be accomplishing so much but instead I have to hop around and ask for help carrying things and if I want to try to do something myself then I walk around on my knees but that doesn't last long. So let's just say that regardless of what any doctor says and how much my foot hurts, I think that I will soon be tossing the crutches out the door. You can't have a 4month old and 2year old and be on crutches! :-)Grant has been funny since my mom has been here. Today, she was trying to get him to try to go potty (which by the way I would say he is pretty much officially potty trained...he even kept his diaper dry all night last night) and said to him, "Shall we go in and go potty?" He responded by saying, "Otay, Nae Nae. You can go!" Not exactly what she had in mind, she meant YOU buddy! Thanks Nae Nae for all of your help!

But Do You Recall...

The most famous reindeer of all (budum, dum, dum)I love cardboard. Especially when you need something to do to keep your 2 year old busy when he wakes up at 5am and won't stop crying because he is extremely overtired but still won't give in and go back to sleep. (Good thing he goes to bed at 6 or 7pm depending on if he decides to take a nap) I really do think you can make anything with cardboard and tape. And seriously, you can't get any cuter than this! I am almost willing to say that this cute little face can wake me up at 5am anytime. Or at least he can wake his dad up!

My Knight in Shining (duct tape) Armor and other ramblings

There is a handsome knight in our family. He has also been known to be a prince. Prince Phillip to be exact. Today, we made him a sword and a shield so that he could fight "dwagons" and rescue "Sleeping Mutey!" He explained to me that, "knights fight dwagons. Not castles or towers." Good to know, right? Well, he also asked me to make him a "knight shirt." I'm not quite sure how to do that. "A knight shirt?" I asked him. "How do I do that?" He simply responded with a puzzled look, "Just a knight shirt." I guess I am not well educated in the attire of a knight. But it does make me feel good that he thinks I am capable of creating such a thing. While we were playing I asked him to let me take a picture of him with his sword and shield and he responded, "No, mom. Just take a pitcha of my sword and shield. I'm too cute." Yes you are Bug, and apparently a little vain.

Now for my random rambling...I try not to judge people, okay who is kidding who...I am very judgmental. Anyway, today a man with questionable character came to my door to see an apartment. You know when you just get a feeling that something is not right? Well, he tried to invite himself in and I explained that he would have to make an appointment because I was in the middle of something-I totally lied. (Usually I do invite people in while I gather the kids, get the keys, etc.) He continued to press the subject and said he would wait for me to finish and that he would help me out. Ummm, I think not sir. You are totally setting my creep-o-meter off. Finally, I got him to leave. And come to think of it, he never made an appointment with me (thank goodness) but anyway it made me start to think that managing apartments might not be the safest thing. Not that I will quit or anything but in some ways I wonder why I put myself and my kids in a position where anyone could lure us out and do who knows what to us. Or just the fact that complete strangers know where I live and that I am alone most of the time..well that kind of makes me nervous. Hmmm, just random thoughts I thought I would share.

Chatterbox

Gracie LOVES to talk! This video doesn't do the quantity and quality justice but boy are her smiles cute and her sounds...well, see for yourself!

Rub a Dub Dub

I put this little one in the tub for a little rub a dub dub. And of course I had some help from Bug. I went out to dry Grace...heard water splash all over the place....Then found a half clothed, soaking wet, Mr. Smug!

The Potty Fairy

Grant had a special visitor last night. The Potty Fairy left a little note, a sucker and some money for Bug. A few weeks ago, Grant wore big boy pants for 3 days but then informed me that he wanted to wear a diaper. I didn't fight him on it. Now a few weeks have passed and we are going to try the underoos again. Hopefully, the Potty Fairy will be visiting us again. Here is what the note said:

Grant,
I hear you like suckers so here's one for you. I hope you like the money, too. If you go potty and keep your big boy pants dry, then tomorrow night I'll drop something else by. Good luck you can do it--just put your mind to it!
Love,
The Potty Fairy

4 Month Check

Little Miss Gracie had her 4 month check the other day. She is doing fabulous! She weighs 12lb 13oz and is 22.5 inches long. When measured on a normal growth curve she is in the 25th percentile for weight and below the 5th percentile for height. When she is measured on the Down syndrome curve, she is in the 75th percentile for weight and the 25th percentile for height. The doctor did hear a heart murmur so we will get that checked when we go to get the holes in her heart looked at again. Other than that she is right on track. Go butterfly, go!

What's New?

So, what is new at our house? Well, Grant has decided he LoVEs soap. He has some special green soap and the other day this is what I found him doing-That's right folks, it was all over his face and there was loads of it in his hair. Goodness, he is fast. I turn my head for a few seconds and he can accomplish so much. I guess it is good he likes to be clean!?!? Also, Picasso has struck again. This time he used purples and greens to decorate his drawers. I guess white is just boring. Who can blame him? As for our little butterfly... She started rice cereal yesterday. The doctor said that it will hopefully help her reflux and make it possible for her to go off her medication. She does surprisingly well. Of course she has the tongue thrust going on but she is working on it. Today she did so much better than she did yesterday so maybe tomorrow she will have mastered the art of eating rice cereal. It is a hard thing you know. Mmmmm, those kissable cheeks. She is so cute I could eat her with a spoon. Speaking of cute...what has Adam been up to? Grant decided that daddy needed to be Gracie and so here he is sporting her bow. I am a bit shocked that he even let me take a picture. I am sure I threatened him or something. Chalk it up for memories, Tiger! :-)
Let's be honest, I have the cutest family ever. It's okay to admit you're jealous!

ERIN HUNTER

GRRR! For some reason I cannot leave a comment on your blog. What am I doing wrong? I have tried and tried but I am a complete failure! I write my comment and when I click "publish" I have to type the word I see then nothin'...I get nothin'! Am I just clueless?

Miss Giggles

Gracie is laughing now! It is so cute to hear her giggle. She also LoVEs to smile. Every time she does, my heart melts!

"I'm Gracie!"

Yesterday, Grant put on Gracie's bow and exclaimed, "I am Gracie!" He then proceeded to roll around on the floor. Adam is not going to be very happy with me when he looks at this post. But Babe, I promise I did NOT put the bow in Grant's hair. It was all his own doing! You have to admit he looks pretty cute!
So is this what our little Gracie is going to look like in a few years?

Who knew?

Okay, so I forgot to post about trick or treating. So who knew that Willie Mays lives only a few streets away from us? Well, we didn't until the night of Halloween! It was so much fun to take Grant over to Willie's house. His wife answered the door and invited us right in. Willie gave Grant a baseball along with a trading card. Grant was great and said, "Go Giants!" while we were there and our good friend Willie seemed to get a kick out of it. His wife was taking pictures of Grant and Gracie...wonder what they will do with them? Hmmmm, anyway- it totally made NaeNae and Poppy jealous and it certainly made our night. Grant even slept with his baseball that night. Good times! Tomorrow Willie and his wife are coming to our place to meet with the missionaries. (Not really).

Picasso

This sweet boy has done it again! He never ceases to amaze me. Just when I think I have done such a good job at training him to obey, he goes and acts like a 2 year old. :-) The other night, I went in to check on him after we put him to bed and what did I find? I found Grant with a broken, blue crayon. As I got closer I noticed the beautiful artwork all over his pillowcase and sheets. And so, here is a song for my little Bug to the tune of Popcorn Popping (it came to me while I was up in the wee hours of the morning dealing with Gracie's pneumonia-yes again, poor girl)... I went into Grant's room and what did I see?
A pretty little picture that he drew for me.
I didn't start to yell, much to his surprise
When I saw the blue scribbles right before my eyes.
He had found a crayon and went to work
I could tell that he was proud, by his little smirk.
I couldn't help but laugh,
When I saw my busy bee
And the pretty little picture that he drew for me.


Grant, you are lucky I love you! But I am even more lucky that you love me. :-)

I Love This Boy

I love this adorable, little boy! I love that every day he tests my patience and teaches me new things. I love that he is kind to others and that he is so accepting of everyone. Just the other day he told me that some mean boys tackled him in nursery (the leaders say he doesn't fight back...thank goodness). We then started to talk about a little girl named Vivian who gets hit by these boys. He said to me, "I'm gonna tell them...knock it off guys! Hands are not for hitting!"
I love that he is so energetic. Even if it does mean that he has given up naps already. :-) And I especially love that he can play make-believe better than anyone I know. My favorite is when he is Prince Phillip and I am "Sleeping Mutey".
I love that he loves his sister and is so protective of her. I love that he wants to be just like his daddy.
I love that he likes to help me bake. Even if it means we have to suffer through a few egg shells.
And I love that he can always find the fun in any situation. I am so glad I have such a sweet bug to keep me on my toes. Most of all, I love that he is mine and that I have a lifetime of smiles to look forward to.

5 Years Ago...

5 years ago he was single.


5 years ago I was single.5 years ago, today...Adam waited outside in the freezing, cold rain to propose to me. He was soaking wet, his lips were blue and he could barely talk. But no worries...I warmed him up with a big ole kiss (or two, or three). :-) I love you Adam! Thanks for making me and the kids so happy and thanks for choosing me to be your wife. I am the luckiest girl alive!